"February"

"Over and over again, He shoots, he scores! and famine crouches in the bedsheets..." -"February" by Margaret Atwood

    This poem definitely has the most interesting motivation, aim, and diction of all the chapter poems. I was slightly taken aback at some of the language used. Poetry is always though of as proper, eloquent, and flowing. It usually does not inlcude phrases like "burped-up meat" and "small pink bumhole." I must say though, the imagery it creates serves the metaphor well. I also had trouble grasping the theme of the poem. She starts out by emphasizing life as a pursuit of sex and territory, or status, wealth, etc. More than halfway down it shifts to our "pollution," a "scewered heart," and french fries. I believe the cat is much like the toad in "Toads" in that it is a representation of a fundamentally damaging characteristic of society: our pursuit of pleasure and status and wealth. The poem also utilizes some sarcasm at the end when it says that it's the "life principle, more or less, so get going on a little optimism." Atwood doesn't truly think these pursuits will bring happiness but society tells us they do. Furthermore, February is an effective metaphor for living modestly. When I think of February, it is a time of great anticipation and exhausting with the long state of winter. It takes much more concentrated optimism to see the good in February. However, February doesn't lend itself to indulgences like French fries. February is modest and challenging.